The high-demand for tech professionals is no secret. But according to TechServe Alliance, a trade association in the IT and Engineering industry, there is a shortage of qualified candidates to take up these open positions. Firms now have to compete for the ever-shrinking pool of qualified tech professionals to fill their growing tech jobs.

With the increasing use of cloud computing, software, mobile apps, enormous amounts of data, social media, and the web, more and more organizations are relying on specialized tech professionals to stay in business.

So, engineering and IT students in the last year of their degrees should know the best tech fields today before going into the job search or pursuing Master’s programs. Here are the highest paying jobs in technology with their average salary estimates:

Data Scientist: Average Salary $138,607

Data scientist jobs are the best in America today- that’s according to a 2019 Glassdoor ranking. Data science is a relatively new but highly lucrative field that involves analyzing data to extract valuable business insights. A data scientist uses statistical, analytical and programming knowledge to interpret and manage large amounts of data. Therefore, data science professionals must possess high business acumen, coding and programming expertise, experience using querying databases and web services, and visualization skills.

Software Architect: Average Salary $132,510

In almost all technology projects, there is an expert responsible for making high-level decisions on software platforms and tools to be used, and practices to be followed. A software architect interacts with customers, review code design for quality, and collaborate with the rest of the team. They should possess strong interpersonal, communication, mentoring, management and decision-making skills. This career demands high qualification, technical skills, and experience.

Cloud Engineer: Average Salary $95,000

Companies hire cloud engineers to deploy, improve or manage their cloud services or systems. A cloud engineer’s role is to plan design, manage, support and maintain the various kinds of cloud computing. This career requires a bachelor’s degree in computer sciences and understanding of computer systems or networks administration. Candidates must have strong analytical, leadership, organizational, and communication skills.

App Development Engineer: Average Salary $92,751

Application development professionals create customized software for clients. Apart from building Apps, they are also responsible for debugging, testing, improvement, and re-designing of existing software and provide technical support. A Masters in engineering plus quantitative, project management, communication, and coding skills are necessary for success in this role.

Software Engineer: Average Salary $81,940

Software engineers are in charge of designing, developing, testing and optimizing computer programs for use in business applications, operating systems, social networks, games, and more. The minimum qualification for this career is a bachelor’s in computer engineering, computer programming or computer science. Essential skills for candidates venturing into this field include software development, programming, problem-solving, logical thinking, and teamwork. This job is a great entry-level opportunity for university students.

Bottomline

While there are many good-paying careers in tech, data scientist carries the day as the most in-demand profession. It has the best average salary and opportunities for growth. A senior data scientist can earn up to $151,000. Pursuing a Masters in data science is the ideal career move for engineers and professionals in technology.